Children, as they grow up, just naturally peer back into history, and beyond, to find out how they happen to be. There are spiritual answers to their questions—answers that provide an intelligent premise for evaluating all theories of creation and evolution to which they may be exposed throughout their education. This basic premise is stated by Mary Baker Eddy, not alone as an understanding of what has happened, but as a provable proposition of what is: "Creation, evolution, or manifestation,—being in and of Spirit, Mind, and all that really is,—must be spiritual and mental. This is Science, and is susceptible of proof." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 27.}

To teach a child spiritual evolution is to tell him of the glory of man's continuing nature, forever unfolding. And what he learns about his own true selfhood as "being in and of Spirit, Mind," will never change from this basic premise. Spiritual evolution manifests "all that really is" or ever will be. Teaching such Christianly scientific truths gives the child an enduring foundation for understanding himself through all the changes of human life.

Helping a child understand that being good wakens him to his true nature gives a basis for morality, and direction for meaningful accomplishment. Mrs. Eddy writes, "Goodness reveals another scene and another self seemingly rolled up in shades, but brought to light by the evolutions of advancing thought, whereby we discern the power of Truth and Love to heal the sick." ^{Ibid., pp. 1-2.}

Spiritual evolution does not imply that man, or the true spiritual universe, is evolving in the sense of being mutable and incomplete. The beautiful allegory in Genesis depicting the spiritual creation concludes, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them." ^{Gen. 2:1.}

Spiritual evolution is made evident in human lives and environment as the reality of true creation appears to human thought. This appearing comes through Christ's imparting to us the marvelous nature of God and man. These spiritual truths, in revealing actual being, heal. Then not only does the child find spiritual evolution to be a profound explanation of being, but his understanding of it brings a present "evolution" of thought, keeping him well and happy.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" ^{Prov. 22:6.} is a proverb with many meanings. It contains lessons beyond the traditional Give-me-a-child-till-he's-five-and-he's-mine—a concept that invites indoctrination. The proverb prompts us to be mindful that early lessons are enduring and our children are blessed by a consistency in teaching. We can save them from much of the turmoil of growing up if their very first lessons teach them that their true being is always unfolding from Spirit, that their real identity is that of man, the very offspring of God. They will find that such early lessons are totally consistent with their developing spiritual sense. And they will be less vulnerable to confusion when they hear erroneous theories such as, God made man a sinner, or man is basically an animal.

Teaching a child spiritual evolution provides the unshakable basis for training him "in the way he should go." And when we remember that Christ Jesus spoke of himself as "the way," we may conclude that relying on Christ in telling our children the facts of unfolding being is the key element in proper training.

This Christ, Truth, is by no means separate from the child's true nature. It is the reality of his being and is always voicing spiritual facts. We must be careful lest man-made theories drown out this inward voice; but we should not be naive, thinking the child needs no teaching and training from us. "Jesus loved little children because of their freedom from wrong and their receptiveness of right," ^{Science and Health, p. 236.} Mrs. Eddy notes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. This implies receptivity to spiritual teaching; it does not obviate the necessity for such teaching.

We teach spiritual evolution every time we turn the child to God as his true Parent. Teaching him to pray "our Father," we are, in essence, telling him that he is the son of God, Spirit. This lesson deepens as he continues to learn that there is no matter and that he is not material but truly spiritual. Thought oriented toward the Christ is ever advancing and brings a wisdom, instead of confusion, to new experience and expanding knowledge.

As our children—all children—learn their true spiritual source to be God, eternal good, they will reckon themselves and all reality to be good, only. This is the basis for all real progress.

Not being indoctrinated with theological beliefs that man is a sinner, one is increasingly strengthened to meet the sensual lures of materiality in the way that Christ Jesus did. He refused to fall for the doubt basic to all temptation, "If thou be the Son of God...." (See the account of Jesus' temptation in the fourth chapter of Matthew. This testing time followed his baptism when he had heard "a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." ^{Matt. 3: 17.} )

A recognition of man's spiritual sonship constantly strengthens the conviction that one will not (for in his true unfolding being he cannot) do anything displeasing to the Father. Amoral theories that animal appetites and passions, purely physical instincts, are a dwindling element, but still an element, of man's nature lose their power to justify sensual indulgence.

Understanding that man's eternal God-given identity does not have to change from a basic sinful nature and that material theories are not valid excuses for wrongdoing, children instructed in spiritual evolution will help mankind discover the true self and the real scene "seemingly rolled up in shades."

Learning that true identity is really the unfoldment of God's perfect nature manifested in man is a joyous continuing lesson that never changes from its basic premise. "God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis." ^{Science and Health, p. 258.} These words from the chapter "Creation" in Science and Health sum up the lessons of unfolding reality. We help teach our children these lessons as we live in the light of this spiritual truth and find our lives to be evidence of irreversible spiritual evolution.

Our own "advancing thought," coinciding with unfolding Truth, reveals that the infinite idea "rising higher and higher" is actually our own real selfhood. Teaching our children this glorious understanding of themselves opens up endless possibilities for the progress of mankind. No holocaust, no irreversible entropy, but irresistible progress! "Infinite progression is concrete being," our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, tells us, "which finite mortals see and comprehend only as abstract glory." ^{Mis., p. 82.} This glory will be less abstract for our children as we teach them the facts of spiritual evolution and progressively free them from finite theories about themselves and their universe. They will find infinite progression to be the only fact and direction of their lives.

BEULAH M. ROEGGE